The NOAA National
Weather Service Office in Las Vegas has teamed with Lowe’s Home
Improvement-sponsored NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and KVVU Fox 5 News
to prepare an important public service message that will be seen and
heard throughout the region this summer. The Turn Around, Don't Drown™
campaign is designed to enhance public awareness of the dangers of
driving or walking into flooded areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Through
accurate and timely NWS warnings and our aggressive public education
efforts, we are working to make swift water rescues and flood related
deaths a thing of the past in our area,” said Andy Bailey, warning
coordination meteorologist at the NWS Weather Forecast Office in Las
Vegas.

The Busch PSA
is one aspect of the national campaign, a joint effort by NOAA’s
National Weather Service and the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.
The local TADD public outreach campaign features 30-second TV and
radio public service announcements. In addition, area new-car dealers
will distribute 150,000 flood safety flash cards provided by the Federal
Alliance for Safe Homes. Anderson Dairy will include flash flood safety
information on more than 100,000 milk cartons this summer.

Las Vegas-native
Kyle Busch has been the top-finishing rookie in 12 out of 13 NASCAR
events this year and is featured in the public service message.

“Some people
say driving a race car can be risky, but there’s one risk I’d
never take on the road. I’d never try to drive my car through
flood waters,” says Busch in the PSA. “If you encounter
a flooded roadway, do like the National Weather Service and turn around,
don’t drown.”

National Weather
Service storm data records that show 3,192 people died in floods between
1974 and 2003, an average of 106 deaths per year. During the same
period, lightning claimed 2,002 lives (67 per year), tornadoes killed
1,935 (65 per year) and hurricanes killed 421 people (14 per year).
The records also indicate 80 percent of the flooding deaths resulted
when people drove or walked into moving water.

"When we
were designing this safety campaign, we decided to start with the
hometown angle, and we are thankful that Kyle, Hendricks Motorsports
and Lowe’s were so helpful in bringing this important message
to the public. We hope the Las Vegas public service announcement will
help us with the national TADD campaign in future years. With the
growing popularity of NASCAR as a spectator sport, we want to carry
the flash flood awareness message to as many people as possible,”
Bailey said.

“It only
takes six inches of moving water to sweep someone off their feet and
24 inches to float most vehicles,” said Kim Runk, meteorologist-in-charge
at the Las Vegas NWS weather forecast office. “People who walk
or drive into moving water not only risk their own lives, but also
the lives of those who try to rescue them.”

"'Turn Around,
Don't Drown' is a message every driver and pedestrian needs to heed,"
added retired Air Force Brig. Gen. David
L. Johnson, director of NOAA's National Weather Service. "Efforts
like these to bring the message to Americans are critically important,
and we applaud Kyle Busch for helping the National Weather Service
spread the word."

NOAA's National
Weather Service is the primary source of weather and flood forecasts
and warnings, and weather, water and climate information for the United
States and its territories. NOAA's National Weather Service operates
the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in
the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national
economy.

NOAA is dedicated
to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction
and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental
stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.